“The Kiss of Life”
“The Kiss of Life” The incredible story behind the iconic photo In July 1967 in Jacksonville, FL, A lineman by the name of Randall Champion accidentally touched a high voltage line, which sent 4,000 volts of electricity through his body and stopped his heart. Luckily, his friend and fellow lineman J.D. Thompson was close enough to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until paramedics arrived. Thanks to Thompson's quick thinking, Champion survived the incident, and even reported to work the following week. photographer Rocco Morabito was driving along West 26th Street, headed to an assignment. He passed a couple of linemen with the Jacksonville Electric Authority completing routine maintenance on a utility pole. On his way back from his assignment, it crossed his mind to stop and try to get some photos of the workers. As he pulled up where the men were working, he heard screams. Something terrible had happened. Randall G. Champion was the lineman at the top of the...